Plants

Facts about Cornflower

We found 17 facts about Cornflower

Centaurea cyanus

Once widespread in meadows and fields, it is now slowly disappearing from the landscape due to the industrialization of agriculture and the use of herbicides. Although many people consider it a weed and a "field flower," the cornflower is a plant used in many industries.
Cornflower
1
Cornflower is an annual plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family.
It is a member of the cornflowers, a genus that includes about 500 species of herbaceous plants.
2
It is native to the temperate climate zones of Europe. In Britain, it is an archaeophyte.
An archaeophyte is a plant that was introduced to a new area by humans in distant times. The cut-off date for archaeophytes is considered the end of the 15th century, the time of the great geographical discoveries. The cornflower came to Britain during the Iron Age.
3
In modern times it was introduced to North America.
There it was given the local name cornflower because it grows very often in cornfields.
4
In the wild, it is most likely to grow in cultivated fields.
It used to be a fairly common landscape feature, but with the increasing use of herbicides, the range of the cornflower has decreased significantly. Recent reports indicate that cornflowers are beginning to cope with some types of herbicides, making them more difficult to control in cultivated areas.
5
Cornflower requires a sunny spot and neutral to slightly alkaline soil.
It grows best at pH levels between 6.6 and 7.8 in moist and well-drained soil. If well rooted, it can survive even temporary droughts.
6
It can reach a height of 30 to 90 cm (12 to 35.5 in).
The leaves are 1 to 4 cm (0.4 to 1.6 in) long and the inflorescences are 1.5 to 3 cm (0.6 to 1.2 in) in diameter.
7
The plant has a very strong root system, which makes it difficult to remove in the spring before sowing in the field.
8
The blue color of cornflower flowers is due to their content of protocyanin.
The same compound is responsible for the red color of rose petals.
9
It is a self-pollinating plant, although its pollen and nectar attract many insects.
Hymenoptera and flies (Diptera) are particularly susceptible to the attracting effects of the cornflower.
10
Cornflower nectar is very sweet - so it is highly valued by beekeepers.
Sugar makes up as much as 34% of cornflower nectar, and its ability to produce sugar is 0.2 mg per day.
11
Cornflowers bloom throughout the summer and at the end of summer, the plant disperses seeds.
Cornflowers often contaminate cereal and rapeseed crops, which is why they are considered a weed by farmers. A single plant can produce up to 800 seeds during its lifetime.
12
Cornflower petals are edible.
They can be eaten fresh, dried or cooked. They are used in tea blends, salads, and desserts as garnishes.
13
Cornflowers are used to obtain food coloring.
The protocyanins and other anthocyanins contained in the petals of this plant are used as dyes in the production of many foods, such as yogurt.
14
It is used in herbal medicine.
The inflorescence of the plant is most valued for its anti-inflammatory and protective properties for the digestive system. It contains quercetin, apigenin and caffeic acid derivatives. It also contains antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds.
15
The cornflower has been the national flower of Estonia since 1918.
It is an important symbol in this region and is used by local politicians. For example, it appears in the logos of: Estonian Conservative People's Party or Finnish National Coalition Party.
16
It has been a symbol of social liberalism in Sweden since the early 20th century.
It is also the official flower of the Swedish province of Östergötland.
17
Cornflowers often appear in paintings.
One of the more famous paintings in which the cornflower motif appears is Vincent van Gogh's landscape painting Wheat Field with Cornflowers, created in July 1890. Cornflowers also appear on the canvases of Igor Grabar, Sergei Osipov or Issac Levitan.
Hungry for more facts?

Similar topics

17 facts about California poppy
17 facts about California poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Golden poppy is a yellow-flowered poppy plant native to the southwest of North America. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant worldwide. In add ...
13 facts about mayflower
13 facts about mayflower
Epigaea repens
Mayflower is an evergreen shrub, spread throughout the eastern U.S. shore. A state flower of Massachusetts, it is vulnerable, but on the other hand, t ...
18 facts about forget-me-not
18 facts about forget-me-not
Scorpion grass
The forget-me-not also referred to as the scorpion grass, is an invasive herb, commonly found in various regions of the world. There are over 500 spec ...
16 facts about Poinsettia
16 facts about Poinsettia
One of the most popular Christmas decorations
It is a plant native to Mexico, where it is known as Flor de Nochebuena - the Christmas Flower. The Aztecs called it Cuetlaxochitl, which meant "star ...
16 facts about Wolf spider
16 facts about Wolf spider
Not so venomous spiders
They are found in all climate zones except polar. Those active hunting spiders do not spin webs as they are active hunters. ...
12 facts about Cabbage White butterfly
12 facts about Cabbage White butterfly
Small white (Pieris rapae)
The Cabbage white butterfly is one of the most common white butterfly species in North America. It was accidentally introduced to Quebec, Canada in 18 ...
26 facts about Northern pike
26 facts about Northern pike
Esox lucius
It is one of the best-known freshwater fishes. The predatory northern pike is equipped with sharp and long teeth, perfect for holding prey. Inattentiv ...
13 facts about Zebra mussel
13 facts about Zebra mussel
Dreissena polymorpha
This freshwater mussel is an excellent water filter-feeding organism. Originally native to Eurasia, it has been accidentally introduced into European ...

Latest topics

20 facts about beer
20 facts about beer
World’s third most popular beverage
It is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages produced. The first archaeological evidence of brewing dates back 13,000 years ago from the territory of I ...
15 facts about StarCraft
15 facts about StarCraft
The computer game classic of the 1990s
For gamers whose childhood and early youth were in the 1990s, StarCraft can evoke nostalgia. This already classic title lived to see a sequel in 2010, ...
12 facts about capybaras
12 facts about capybaras
The world’s largest rodent and social media star
The capybara, the largest rodent known to us today, is an animal with a very pleasant disposition and appearance, living both an aquatic and terrestri ...
20 facts about Amazon River
20 facts about Amazon River
Its basin covers nearly half of South America
In the year 1500, European explorers stumbled upon one of the most remarkable wonders on the planet: the amazing Amazon River. This majestic waterway ...
13 facts about churro
13 facts about churro
A dessert worth the sin
Churros are known to all lovers of Spanish and Latin American cuisine, but few may realize that their genesis, in all likelihood, took place in the Fa ...
29 facts about Colorado
29 facts about Colorado
Centennial State
Colorado is one of the larger American states, bordered by longitude and latitude. The state is famous for its varied landscape of mountains, forests, ...
18 facts about Roland Garros
18 facts about Roland Garros
French pioneer of aviation who played tennis only a few times in his life
Roland Garros was a French aviator who played an important role in the history of aviation. He began his aviation career in 1909 and achieved many aer ...
24 facts about Sri Lanka
24 facts about Sri Lanka
The “Land of Smiles”
Sri Lanka is an island country in the Indian Ocean. Previously, until 1972, both the country and the island on which it lies were known to the world a ...

Similar topics